It’s been a tumultuous time for the Turnbull government since Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce became embroiled in the dual citizenship saga.
These are the seven politicians who will learn whether they are elegible for parliament or not when the High Court hands down its decision on their dual citizenship on Friday 2:15pm AEDT.
Barnaby Joyce
The Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals leader announced on August 14 he was a New Zealand citizen by descent of his father, who was born there. The highest profile of all the seven politicians, the fate of the Turnbull government’s majority rests on whether Mr Joyce will be ruled eligible for parliament or not. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will have to decide whether to trigger a by-election in Mr Joyce’s seat of New England. Mr Joyce could stand for his seat again as he has since renounced his Kiwi citizenship. Fiona Nash
The Deputy Nationals leader announced to the Senate she would be referring herself to the High Court after finding out she held British citizenship by descent of her father. She checked her status after Mr Joyce’s announcement. If she is found ineligible, the High Court could order a recount of the votes in the NSW Senate. Constitutional law expert Professor Anne Twomey says the seat could then likely go to the next person on the coalition ticket. Matt Canavan
The Queensland senator was forced to resign from cabinet after announcing on July 25th he held Italian dual citizenship. Senator Canavan said his mother applied for the citizenship without his knowledge nor consent more than a decade ago. Professor Twomey says if the High Court rules him ineligible, a recount of the Queensland Senate votes could be ordered. This could affect The Nationals party’s coalition deal and the coalition balance in the Senate, because the people who could replace the Nationals senators Nash and Canavan could be from the Liberal party. Malcolm Roberts
The Indian-born senator was referred to the High Court on August 9 by One Nation leader Pauline Hanson amid questions about his status. Senator Roberts was born to a Welsh father, and the main problem is whether or not he took “reasonable steps” to renounce his British citizenship by descent. In an interim decision in September, the High Court found he was a British citizen by descent at the time he nominated to become a One Nation senator last year. Senator Roberts insists he always believed he was an Australian citizen, but the court found that an email he sent to the UK Home Office was not effective in renounciation. In one email to British authorities before the election, Senator Roberts wrote: "Am I still a British citizen?" If he’s ruled ineligible the seat could go to One Nation’s Fraser Anning, who was third on the party’s Senate ticket. Scott Ludlam and Larissa Waters
The two Greens senators were the first to trigger the dual citizenship saga when Mr Ludlam made the shock announcement on July 14 he would be resigning after discovering he held New Zealand citizenship. ABC election analyst Antony Green believes if there’s an adverse finding against Mr Ludlam in the High Court, the Greens third in line to the Senate ticket, Jordan Steele John, could take up the WA seat. Senator Waters, who resigned shortly after over her Canadian citizenship, has indicated she could recontest the Senate spot. Nick Xenophon
The South Australian Senator announced on August 18 he held a form of British Overseas Citizenship by descent of his father who was born in Cyprus. Senator Xenophon has already indicated he’ll leave federal parliament whatever the outcome, to run for the South Australian state election. He’s likely to be replaced by the fourth person on the NXT ticket, Tim Storer. 
